Month: November 2017

Couples these days have a truly wonderful way of expressing their love for each other – they wear couples rings and sometimes even necklaces as a symbol of their mutual affection. Gone are the days when men did not wear any jewelry apart from a wedding ring. These days, lots of men like to wear jewelry that matches what their significant other is wearing. As a result, many jewelry stores offer plenty of options when it comes to couples necklaces and rings.

Men tend to be far less adventurous when it comes to rings and so the couples rings that are available these days tend to be very simple. These rings come in many different metal options such as platinum, titanium, stainless steel and gold in a variety colors. Couples also sometimes buy matching rings studded with diamonds or any other precious stone that has particular relevance to them. In case one half of the couple is female then the ring tends to be quite flashy. Celtic designs tend to be extremely popular decorative motifs for these rings.

There are innumerable choices for matching necklaces, especially when it comes to the pendants worn with them. Matching lockets have become quite passé; what people now want is pendants that fit into each other as part of a two piece set. A popular option is a lock and key pendant set. Another great choice is a jigsaw pendant set. The appeal of these lockets is that while they symbolize the interlocking of the two people who wear them they are also whimsical and eye catching. These pendants are also available in a variety of metals. Currently, a locket set in gold and black is proving to be very popular.

Many couples opt to have their names or a romantic message engraved on the matching jewelry and rings. Customization of the jewelry can also be done using religious messages. This personalization makes the jewelry even more special to the pair. Interestingly these necklaces and rings can be won by all sorts of couples and not just married ones. People buy them when they first start dating or to commemorate an important event. They also make lovely gifts for Christmas or Valentine’s Day. Lots of same sex couples also order this kind of jewelry. Make sure that you select a really good looking set of jewelry to mark your important event with your loved one.

There are as many as eight possible Valentines Day origins and the three most likely contenders were all early church martyrs.

However, before the Christian Saints, the day started as a festival to honor Juno, Queen of the Roman deities. Juno was sister and consort of Jupiter, mother of Mars, and one of the most important of the Roman pantheon. She had many duties, each with an associated title, as a protector of the Roman people she was Juno Regina, adviser to those about to marry as Juno Moneta and as goddess of Roman women and childbirth, Juno Lucina. From her title "Juno Moneta" we get the word "money" because the Roman mint was built close to one of her temples. For most Romans she was a protector of women as the goddess of marriage, fertility and all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth

Her day was 14 February and the following day was the Feast of Lupercalia.

Lupercalia began at the Ides of February. Members of the Luperci, an order of Roman practices, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The victims would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

Young men then sliced ​​the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips to encourage fertility in the coming year.

Lupercalia was also celebrated as a young lovers' festival with a novel matchmaking game. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of the eligible daughters of Rome were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and the two would then be partners for the duration of the festival.

In 496 CE, Pope Gelasius changed the date of the Lupercalia festival to Saint Valentine's Day, February 14. Associating the matchmaking feast with the martyrdom of Valentine was convenient because the days were almost identical.

So traditionally, mid-February was a Roman time to meet and court prospective mates. More than fifteen hundred years later we continue the tradition

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bow to see who their Valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling, that you are ready to fall a victim to romantic love. Is your heart on your sleeve?

It's that time of year again when the flowers are blooming and the birds are chirping. Spring has roled in which means only one thing, it's time to start looking for a Father's Day gift. To save you the hassle of having to deal with crowds at malls and at the local golf shop, here are 5 reasons why you should shop for Father's Day online this year.

1. Convenience

By far the largest benefit of shopping for Father's Day online is saving you the hassle of going out to find that perfect gift. This will save you time, gas money and the trouble of dealing with large crowds of people. Now you can quickly get online and find the gift you're looking for at the comfort of your home.

2. Multitude of stores

When you shop atalls and stores, all of the stores are separated from each other. It takes a whole afternoon to go to multiple stores for price comparisons and to find the gift you're looking for. By shopping online for Father's Day, you can quickly scroll through several different stores with the click of a button. Now you can find what you're looking for at the price you're looking to pay for it without taking over an afternoon.

3. Unlimited stock

One of the biggest problems of shopping in the malls is that they are always out of something. Unfortunately, it's usually the item you're looking for that they're out of. When you shop online, it is almost guaranteed that they will have what you're looking for. Because the product that you're looking for comes from a factory, the stock is much larger than that within the store.

4. Wider selection

Shopping for Father's Day online gives you a plethora of options that you would not find in a store. If you want a certain golf shirt for your father, you may only find a few colors to choose from in the store as oppose to five or ten colors to choose from on the internet. Tying in with the statement above, purchasing online means the stock is coming from a large warehouse. Because of this, there is a much larger space to fit more options of products to choose from.

5. More information

Let's be honest, when you shop at the local mall many employees are not knowledgeable about everything in the store. When you shop online, you are guaranteed to find a plethora of information on the product you are looking for. This allows you to see what quality the product really is and what its limits are.

If you enjoy spending an afternoon or weekend amidst the crowds at the mall, then there are plenty of stores that you can shop for a Father's Day gift at. For everyone else, shopping for Father's Day online is the way to go. With a wider selection and the convenience of purchasing something with the click of a button, shopping online is the new way to purchase the product you're looking for.

Everywhere you look this time of year you'll see Christmas tree decoration ideas. The good news is that there are many different options available when it comes to decorating your tree. Even better than the multitude of options is the fact that there really is no wrong way in which to decorate your Christmas tree. Decorate your tree the way you see fit. However, there are some that simply seem to blank when it comes to inspired and innovative decorating ideas. For you, we are here to help.

The place to start when it comes to decorating your Christmas tree is with the lights. What kind of Christmas tree would it be without lights after all? There are many styles, colors, and types of lights to consider when it comes to your Christmas tree be sure to choose the lights that strike your fancy and not the lights you think will drive your family batty (you have to live with the lights you choose too).

In addition to the many choices of lights, there are also quite a few different styles of tree from which to choose. One choice in Christmas tree that is growing in popularity is the white Christmas tree. If you elect a white Christmas tree for your decorating pleasure, a good idea for decorations is to go with a dual-colored theme for your ornaments and lights. Doing this can create a very lovely and elegant Christmas tree.

Assuming you have some red and green ornaments lying around the house it is quite possible to create a beautiful theme by placing these ornaments on a white Christmas tree. You could use red bows and green ornaments or some sort of combination of the two. Of course you could do with any colors you would like. Silver and blue ornaments look quite lovely on a white Christmas tree, as do many other colors. White is neutral and looks pretty good with almost any other color on the market.

When you select a white Christmas tree, you are giving yourself a clean palate upon which to create a Christmas decorating masterpiece. Any color scheme has the possibility of looking beautiful and the fewer colors you use on your tree, the more elegant and less crowded it will appear. Then again, it's your tree and like I said before, there's no wrong way to decorate a Christmas tree.

You need to have a plan before you go out. Decide where you're going to go and learn about the area. Make sure you understand the rules and regulations of the area. In some spots you c ° ° not light fires for example because there are bans. You should create a list and decide what you want to take in your pack. Make sure you have a good map of the area and do not rely on your cellphone because some areas do not get good reception or none at all. A paper map of the area is essential. Make sure you know the roads in and out and get a good compass too.

Get in Shape

Before you do serious backpacking you'll need to be in decent shape. Start with long walks along trails without weight and then add weight to pack and go out for day trips. Once you do this for a while your body will adapt and you will be set for longer trips. Make sure you stick to easier hikes before you venture off into other terrain because it's easy to get lost of injured if you're not prepared for the hike.

Pack Light

Many backpackers make the mistake of bringing far too much gear with them. Everything you add just weighs down your pack and your back more so plan to pack light. One thing you should do is to pack a lighter tent. You do not need a huge tent for backpacking you want one that is going to be light and easy to setup as well as pack away. Make sure you buy a decent pack that can hold all gear and one that fits comfortably for you. It's best to try out the pack before you buy it.

Safety

In the wilderness you need to stay safe. Water is your most important resource so make sure you have enough and be sure to drink a lot as you hike. Stop at streams and lakes to fill up and be sure to decontaminate your water before you drink it. Understand the wildlife in the area and be sure you have bear spray with you but only use this in an absolute emergency. Your pack should have a medical kits and tell your friends where you will be going and when you expect to be home. Take a cellphone with you for added security. Another thing to ensure you have is proper hiking shoes or boots. Never hike in runners or other shoes as you will quickly fatigue your feet and get blisters.

Take your time when backpacking and work your way up to longer hikes. Do not b = venture off into areas where you have no idea where you are. Try to stick to marked trails until you are an experienced hiker and know what you're doing.

The technology behind sleeping bags today has sure improved upon the old cowboy bedroll idea. These you can stay warm in the coldest of circumstances using some high tech designs and materials. Here are some ideas to help you buy the right sleeping bag:

You will have those times where it gets cold at night when you are camping. That is why when you are looking to buy a sleeping bag you must encounter the coldest temp you will encounter not the warmest. In the summer or warm climates you only need to look for a +35 degree rated sleeping bag to take along.

But if you do your camping in either the mountains during the summer months, or the fall or spring, you probably will need to get a sleeping bag that is rated in the range of +10 – +35. Of course you hearty winter campers should buy bags that are rated between -10 to +10 degree range, and then the alpine mountain climbers and cold weather explorers should get the bags with a rating of below -10.

You have to remember that the manufacturers' ratings on the temperature ranges are only approximations of the minimum temps that the sleeping bag will give you warmth at. Since everyone run different as far as body temperature generated, just use these temps for a guideline. If you are cold natured you may need a sleeping rated a bit colder. On the other hand if you are hot natured you may not need a bag rated as warm.

The insulating material, used in a sleeping bag, is the most vital part of it. With today's bags you have 2 materials to choose from: synthetic or goose down. Both of the materials do have their good points and bad points, while down bags are thought to be the best due to their ratio of warmth-to-bulk or the warmth-to-weight being so great.

Down is great for insulating, but it is also light and compresses easily. Now you know how the geese stay warm, and can fly even in the winter! Down is also known for being extremely durable and keeps on insulating for years and years.

With mentioning all that about down, the sleeping bags also come in some good quality synthetic materials today, and this type of material is being improved upon as time goes by. It is true though that a synthetic sleeping bag has more weight in it than the down sleeping bag, the synthetic bags are the more desired ones in wet conditions, they do better than down under these conditions. Down actually has very little ability to insulate if it gets wet.

So if you are going to an area that is known for damp climate, you need to thick about getting a synthetic sleeping bag just because of the reason listed above. Also there are a lot of people that happen to be allergic as far as goes goes, but the synthetically made bags are hypoallergenic. Now if price is your main consideration the synthetic is more economically priced than the down, so this may decide which one you will choose for your adventure.

At the end of the year, different holidays come one after another. After having been busy for a whole year, everyone wants to have a good rest, so there will be a lot of gatherings and dinner parties among friends. At the dinner party, people always drink too much alcohol, which may easily harm the body. Then what kinds of drinks should we choose at the dinner party, so as to protect our health? The following section will recommend five healthy drinks for everyone.

First, yoghurt Yoghurt contains a large number of active lactic acid bacteria, which can regulate the flora balance in the intestinal tract. If you have to drink alcohol at the party, it is best to drink a glass of yogurt first, which can play a good buffering function in the stomach. What's more, yoghurt has a certain feeling of fullness, so it can make you eat less oil and fatty food after drinking.

Second, fruit juice Fruit juice contains a large number of vitamins, minerals, and a certain amount of biologically active substances and dietary fiber, so it can make up for the lack of nutrition when you drink alcohol. It is best to drink freshly squeezed juice, which has the best nutrition. If the juice has been placed for a long time, it is easy to be oxidized.

Third, tomato juice Tomato juice contains a lot of nutrients, such as vitamin C, minerals, lycopene, and so on. Especially lycopene, it has the most prominent health benefits on human body, and has strong antioxidant activity. What's more, lycopene has a good effect of clearing away the free radicals in the body, which is far better than that of other carotenoids and vitamin E. As a result, it is also known as "plant gold".

Fourth, soybean milk Soybean milk contains various kinds of nutrients, including unsaturated fatty acids. It is low in saturated fatty acids and contains no cholesterol. What's more, soybean milk also contains a small amount of soluble dietary fiber, which can help to promote the peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract and prevent constipation. Sugar-free or low-sugar soybean milk has much better effect.

Fifth, tea The tea polyphenol and caffeine contained in tea have the effect of preventing cancer, cardiovascular diseases and so on. Green tea, Oolong tea, Pu'er tea, black tea, and spotted tea are all good choices. During the winter, it is best not to drink the tea which has become cold, because it is easy to cause diarrhea, which is very bad for the health of the body.